News archive

Waiariki Academy of Sport, at the Waiariki Institute of Technology in Rotorua are offering scholarships for their Kayak/Waka Squad 2011. Study at Waiariki, and train on the world-class rivers and lakes in Rotorua, New Zealand Technical training and coaching support. Sport science and medicine support provided by Academy of Sport team (NZ preferred providers).

The latest NZ Canoeing has been sent to members, featuring Conservation News (Rivers in the media, Hurunui River moratorium, Mokihinui River, Mokihinui Stockton film, Central Plains Water, Land and Water Forum, Nevis River Decision) (Tony Ward-Holmes), Respect to the Hutt Gorge @ 2.55m (Ruby Kopelov), Kiwi kayakers excel at home and overseas (Miriam Odlin), Releases and Events. Read more in NZ Canoeing 10.2 (PDF, 9.7Mb).

Some months ago the Otago conservancy of DOC released their proposed Mt Aspiring National Park Management Plan. It is due to be approved by the NZ Conservation Authority and assuming nothing surprising happens, Whitewater NZ has had a significant win by retaining aerial access to Bonar Flats on the Waiatoto River.

Whitewater NZ and Fish & Game have submitted a revised application for a Water Conservation Order on the Hurunui River.

Applications are now open for the 2010 Hillary Expedition grant administered by SPARC. $100,000 is available to support Hillary Expedition 2010 and this year SPARC are actively seeking applications from young and / or amateur adventurers. Applications close 5pm Friday 15 October 2010.

The West Coast Whitewater Kayaking Survey 2010 is now live and Whitewater New Zealand encourages anyone who has paddled on the Coast to complete it. Andy England is doing the work as part of his Royal Society of New Zealand Teacher Fellowship. In brief:

• Purely about whitewater kayaking/canoeing on the West Coast of NZ.
• The biggest West Coast kayaking survey to date, designed to update the 1991-93 survey.
• Will provide valuable data for decision making processes.
• It’s online and will take you 20 mins if you haven’t done many rivers, up to an hour if you’ve done most West Coast rivers - you can leave it and come back to it
• Live until 12 August.
• Needs as many people as possible, so please complete the survey and encourage everyone else you know to participate.

[4 June] Commissioners have released their decision granting Central Plains Water consents for CPW to construct river intake structures and take water from the Rakaia and the Waimakariri. Following prolonged and exhaustive hearings, the consents have numerous conditions seeking to ensure safety of instream users, and to mitigate the effects of reduced flows on recreation. Update 23 June: Whitewater Canoe Club's Graeme Wilson summarises the impacts on kayakers arising from the conditions applied to the Central Plains Water resource consent.

In the wake of the sacking of Environment Canterbury (ECAN) councillors and the dissolution of the Water Conservation Order for the Hurunui River Whitewater NZ has joined the North Canterbury Fish and Game Council, Forest and Bird and the Water Rights Trust to formally request that a moratorium be placed on water permits allowing the taking, use, damming and diverting of the Hurunui River. In particular, this would effectively place the Hurunui Water Project application to dam the Hurunui River and take water on hold.

Whitewater NZ have submitted an appeal to the Environment Court over the consent granted to Meridian Energy for a dam on the Mōkihinui River. The appeal seeks that the consents are not granted due the complete loss of kayaking amenity with no mitigation. The scheme does not promote sustainable management (because no one is making new rivers). The appeal points out that there is no bond for ultimate removal of the dam, and that the dam is unnecessary due to the Dobson and Stockton schemes that have already received consents.